BOONE — Community members gathered on Memorial Day afternoon at Mount Lawn Cemetery to celebrate and honor veterans who have passed.
While light rain moved the event inside the mausoleum, it continued as planned with Capt. Jim Fisher was the main speaker at the event. Fisher is a retired Navy Chaplain of 30 years but has worn multiple uniforms during his service as a chaplain with various branches.
When Fisher helped place decals on veterans’ graves to help identify them for volunteers to place flags at, he got to thinking about who those veterans were.
“I got to thinking as a Christian chaplain, ‘I wonder if their stories would be similar to stories of book I’m trying to get to know,’” Fisher said. “I wonder if they’re similar to the stories of the New Testament.”
Capt. Jim Fisher speaks to those in attendance at the Mount Lawn Cemetery Memorial Day event. Photo by Moss Brennan
Fisher shared three New Testament stories and asked those in attendance to consider whether that was their military family member’s story as well. He shared a story from John the Baptist that focused on integrity, a story about a Roman officer named Cornelius, and one from the Gospel of Matthew.
He asked those in attendance, “Would you consider your veteran who repose here in the quiet rolling hills of Mount Lawn to be a story out of the New Testament.”
“I know we’re all flawed individuals. Your family members are flawed individuals. We’re flawed individuals. People in the stories of the New Testament are flawed individuals,” Fisher said. “But they all stood for something. In terms of military service, they stood for integrity. They stood for truth. They stood for morality. Just like your veterans. They stood as an example in the community for service and commitment.”
Fisher asked that people leave the service and tell their veteran’s story.
Chris Bertolini performs Taps on the trumpet. Photo by Moss Brennan
“Go away from this service and tell your veterans story every day,” Fisher said. “To your sons and daughters, to your neighbors, to your friends, to your grandparents, tell them you appreciate them. Tell the story of a veteran that you know, and keep telling that story not just on Memorial Day, not just one day a year, but tell the story over again. Tell the story often tell the story well because, in the telling of their stories, you keep their memories alive. You make their inspiration real and you have an example to follow.”
After Fisher finished, Chris Bertolini performed Taps on the trumpet.
Also, at the event, Rev. Bud Russell opened and closed with a prayer.
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